Transitional Provisions Under PP 22/2021: Permit Continuity, Repealed Regulations, and Implementation Timelines for Indonesia's Environmental Framework
Executive Summary
Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 (PP 22/2021) represents a comprehensive consolidation of Indonesia's environmental protection and management framework. BAB XII and BAB XIII establish the transitional and closing provisions that govern how existing permits, ongoing processes, and predecessor regulations transition into the new unified system. These provisions ensure legal continuity while enabling systematic implementation of new requirements.
The regulation provides significant legal certainty for existing permit holders. Environmental permits, feasibility decisions, and UKL-UPL recommendations issued before PP 22/2021 remain valid and automatically integrate into the new business licensing framework. Ongoing AMDAL assessments and UKL-UPL examinations continue until completion under the new Environmental Approval system.
PP 22/2021 explicitly repeals five previous government regulations covering marine pollution, air pollution, water quality, environmental permits, and B3 waste management. Implementation timelines span from six months for institutional formation to five years for the environmental restoration fund requirement, providing a graduated transition path for different compliance obligations.
Background & Context
Before PP 22/2021, Indonesia's environmental regulations were distributed across multiple government regulations addressing specific environmental media and permit types. PP 19/1999 governed marine pollution, PP 41/1999 addressed air pollution, PP 82/2001 covered water quality, PP 27/2012 regulated environmental permits, and PP 101/2014 managed B3 waste. This fragmented framework created administrative complexity and potential regulatory gaps.
The enactment of Law No. 11 of 2020 on Job Creation (Omnibus Law) mandated consolidation of environmental regulations to improve the business licensing environment while maintaining environmental protection. PP 22/2021 implements this mandate by integrating environmental requirements into a single comprehensive regulation that covers all environmental media, permit types, and enforcement mechanisms.
Transitional provisions bridge the gap between the old fragmented system and the new unified framework. Without these provisions, existing permit holders would face legal uncertainty about their permit status, ongoing processes would lack completion pathways, and implementing institutions would face immediate compliance gaps. The transitional framework enables orderly implementation while protecting acquired rights.
The graduated implementation timeline reflects the varying complexity of different requirements. Institutional formation requires months, while complex technical standards like water quality parameters need years for development. The five-year timeline for the environmental restoration fund acknowledges the substantial institutional and financial preparation required for this new obligation.
Key Provisions
Existing Permit Continuity
The regulation provides comprehensive protection for existing environmental permits and related documents.
Pasal 527:
"Pada saat Peraturan Pemerintah ini mulai berlaku: a. izin lingkungan, izin Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Lingkungan Hidup, Surat Keputusan Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup, rekomendasi UKL-UPL, atau dokumen Lingkungan Hidup yang telah mendapat persetujuan sebelum berlakunya Peraturan Pemerintah ini, dinyatakan tetap berlaku dan menjadi prasyarat serta termuat dalam Perizinan Berusaha atau Persetujuan Pemerintah..."
Environmental permits, environmental protection and management permits, Environmental Feasibility Decisions, UKL-UPL recommendations, and other approved environmental documents issued before PP 22/2021 remain valid. These documents automatically become prerequisites for and are incorporated into business licensing or government approvals under the new system. This grandfathering provision prevents existing permit holders from needing to restart the environmental approval process.
Process Continuity
Ongoing environmental assessments and examinations continue to completion under transitional rules.
Pasal 527(b)-(c):
"b. penilaian Amdal, atau pemeriksaan Formulir UKL-UPL dan pengajuan izin Perlindungan dan Pengelolaan Lingkungan Hidup yang sedang dalam proses, dilanjutkan sampai dengan terbitnya Persetujuan Lingkungan; c. lisensi yang telah dimiliki komisi penilai Amdal tetap berlaku dan dapat diperpanjang sampai terbentuknya Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup;"
AMDAL assessments in progress, UKL-UPL examinations underway, and pending environmental protection permit applications continue until Environmental Approval issuance. AMDAL assessment commission licenses remain valid and can be extended until the new Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup is established. This prevents disruption to in-progress environmental approvals and maintains institutional capacity during the transition.
Repealed Regulations
PP 22/2021 explicitly repeals five previous government regulations that previously governed specific environmental domains.
Pasal 529:
"Pada saat Peraturan Pemerintah ini mulai berlaku: a. Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 19 Tahun 1999 tentang Pengendalian Pencemaran dan/atau Perusakan Laut; b. Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 41 Tahun 1999 tentang Pengendalian Pencemaran Udara; c. Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 82 Tahun 2001 tentang Pengelolaan Kualitas Air dan Pengendalian Pencemaran Air; d. Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 27 Tahun 2012 tentang Izin Lingkungan; e. Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 101 Tahun 2014 tentang Pengelolaan Limbah Bahan Berbahaya dan Beracun, dicabut dan dinyatakan tidak berlaku."
Five government regulations are revoked: PP 19/1999 on marine pollution control, PP 41/1999 on air pollution control, PP 82/2001 on water quality management and pollution control, PP 27/2012 on environmental permits, and PP 101/2014 on B3 waste management. PP 22/2021 now consolidates all these domains into a single regulatory framework.
Implementing Regulation Continuity
Implementing regulations under the repealed PPs receive transitional protection until replacement.
Pasal 528:
"...semua peraturan perundang-undangan yang merupakan peraturan pelaksanaan dari: [five repealed PPs] masih tetap berlaku sepanjang tidak bertentangan atau belum diganti dengan peraturan yang baru berdasarkan Peraturan Pemerintah ini."
Implementing regulations (PERMEN, KEPMEN, etc.) issued under the five repealed government regulations remain valid to the extent they do not contradict PP 22/2021 and have not been replaced by new implementing regulations. This preserves detailed technical standards and procedures while the new implementing regulations are developed.
Institutional Formation Timelines
The regulation establishes specific deadlines for forming key environmental governance institutions.
Pasal 531(a)-(d):
"a. Lembaga Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup terbentuk dalam waktu paling lama 6 (enam) bulan sejak diberlakukan Peraturan Pemerintah ini; b. Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup terbentuk dalam waktu paling lama 9 (sembilan) bulan sejak diberlakukan Peraturan Pemerintah ini; c. lembaga sertifikasi kompetensi penyusun Amdal terbentuk dalam waktu paling lama 6 (enam) bulan sejak diberlakukan Peraturan Pemerintah ini; d. dalam jangka waktu paling lama 6 (enam) bulan sampai terbentuknya Lembaga Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup, perpanjangan lisensi komisi penilai Amdal dilakukan sesuai dengan ketentuan peraturan perundang-undangan;"
The Lembaga Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup (central assessment institution) must form within six months. The Tim Uji Kelayakan Lingkungan Hidup (assessment committees) must form within nine months. AMDAL author certification bodies must form within six months. During the six-month transition, existing AMDAL commission licenses can be extended under prevailing regulations.
Technical Standards Timelines
Complex technical standards receive extended implementation periods.
Pasal 531(e)-(g):
"e. penyusunan dan penetapan Baku Mutu Air serta perhitungan dan penetapan alokasi beban pencemar air harus diselesaikan dalam jangka waktu paling lama 2 (dua) tahun sejak Peraturan Pemerintah ini diundangkan; f. pemenuhan Baku Mutu hasil uji Emisi sebagai dasar pengenaan pajak kendaraan bermotor untuk unsur pencemar lingkungan diberlakukan 2 (dua) tahun setelah Peraturan Pemerintah ini diundangkan; g. kewajiban memiliki tenaga kerja yang memiliki sertifikat kompetensi di bidang Pengelolaan Limbah B3 diberlakukan paling lambat 1 (satu) tahun sejak Peraturan Pemerintah ini diundangkan;"
Water quality standards and pollution load allocations must be completed within two years. Vehicle emission standards for environmental tax purposes take effect after two years. The requirement for B3 waste management competency certificates becomes effective within one year. These extended timelines acknowledge the technical complexity of developing and implementing these standards.
Environmental Restoration Fund Timeline
The environmental restoration guarantee fund receives the longest implementation period.
Pasal 532:
"(2) Dengan mempertimbangkan prioritas nasional, kesiapan kelembagaan, mekanisme dan sistem pendukung, penerapan kewajiban dana penjaminan untuk pemulihan fungsi Lingkungan Hidup dilaksanakan paling lambat 5 (lima) tahun sejak berlakunya Peraturan Pemerintah ini."
Considering national priorities, institutional readiness, mechanisms, and support systems, the mandatory environmental restoration guarantee fund must be implemented within five years maximum. This extended timeline reflects the substantial financial and institutional preparation required to establish the fund mechanism, assessment procedures, and enforcement systems.
Implementation & Compliance
Existing permit holders should verify that their permits are properly integrated into the new business licensing framework. While permits remain automatically valid, administrative integration with the Online Single Submission (OSS) system may require action. Permit holders should confirm with relevant licensing authorities that their environmental documents are recorded in the new system.
For processes that were ongoing when PP 22/2021 took effect, proponents should work with environmental authorities to complete assessments and examinations under the applicable procedures. The outcome will be Environmental Approval (Persetujuan Lingkungan) under the new framework rather than the previous permit types, but the assessment process continues without requiring restart.
Environmental consultants and assessment institutions should note the institutional transition timelines. AMDAL certification bodies formed under the old system transition to the new framework, while new certification and assessment institutions form according to PP 22/2021 requirements. Consultants should ensure their certifications remain valid during the transition period.
For compliance planning purposes, note that some requirements took effect at promulgation while others have extended implementation periods. B3 waste competency requirements began applying one year after promulgation. Water quality standards and vehicle emission requirements have two-year implementation windows. The environmental restoration fund requirement has a five-year implementation period.
Conclusion
PP 22/2021's transitional provisions establish a comprehensive framework for migrating from Indonesia's fragmented environmental regulations to the new unified system. The grandfathering of existing permits provides legal certainty for current operations, while the process continuity provisions ensure that in-progress assessments reach completion without restart.
The explicit repeal of five previous government regulations clarifies the legal landscape while the continuing validity of implementing regulations maintains operational detail during the transition. The graduated implementation timeline, spanning from six months to five years, reflects the varying complexity of different requirements and enables systematic capacity building across the environmental governance system.
Official Source
This article analyzes Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 on Implementation of Environmental Protection and Management (PP 22/2021), specifically BAB XII (Pasal 527) on Transitional Provisions and BAB XIII (Pasal 528-534) on Closing Provisions.
The official regulation text can be accessed at:
Primary Source:
PP No. 22 Tahun 2021 - BPK Regulation Portal
Alternative Sources:
- JDIH Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan
Official Gazette: Lembaran Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 2021 Nomor 32
Effective Date: February 2, 2021
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